Cole-Hamilton: Next FM must jump start Scottish dentistry.

15 Mar 2023
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today warned that the next First Minister must take immediate action to save NHS dentistry after a new devastating new survey of dentists revealed 59% of dentists say they have reduced the amount of NHS work they undertake since lockdown and 83% now say they will reduce - or further reduce - their NHS commitment in the year ahead.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“This is another devastating insight into the plight of Scottish dentists and their patients.

“Dentists are stopping offering NHS services because of the low rates they receive for NHS work and the barriers thrown in their way by Scottish Government ministers.

“Liberal Democrat research recently revealed that 1 in 5 of those who cannot get a dentist appointment decide to turn to unlicensed alternatives or perform dental work on themselves. That is a grotesque failure on the part of SNP ministers.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats believe that toothcare, like any other form of healthcare, should be universally accessible - not just for those who can afford to pay privately. Our party was instrumental in bringing forward free dental checks in Scotland, and in pressing for new dental schools to address dentist shortages, especially in more rural areas.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats are now calling for the next First Minister to rewrite their government's NHS Recovery Plan to jump start Scottish dentistry and reform funding structures so that dentists can once again take on NHS patients.”

This website uses cookies

Like most websites, this site uses cookies. Some are required to make it work, while others are used for statistical or marketing purposes. If you choose not to allow cookies some features may not be available, such as content from other websites. Please read our Cookie Policy for more information.

Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the website to function properly.
Statistics cookies collect information anonymously. This information helps us to understand how our visitors use our website.
Marketing cookies are used by third parties or publishers to display personalized advertisements. They do this by tracking visitors across websites.
Administrator preview
Live version at www.scotlibdems.org.uk